ROCKFORD (WREX) -
A federal regulator says supplies of a much needed cancer drug are on the way back up.
"Preservative Free Methotrexate? We have not enough to treat a single patient."
That's Rockford Memorial Hospital Pharmacy Director Curt Lesher talking about a drug doctors use to treat Leukemia patients.
The current shortage has changed the way many hospitals administer medicine.
"Be a lot more careful with the amounts we use, what we draw up, trying very hard to make sure there's very little waste at the end of the day," said St. Anthony's Medical Center's Anesthesia Section Chairman Doug Loughead.
Swedish American Hospital's Pharmacy Director Tom Carey says hospitals are missing a lot more than cancer drugs.
"Sedation and surgical procedures to treat pain in the hospital and even to prevent conditions like people get sick from nausea or vomiting."
He says Rockford patients are lucky local hospitals communicate about drug supplies.
"All three hospitals have been working together when one is critically low on a medication we borrow between each of the hospitals."
Lesher says the current situation has forced them to use other drugs which may not always be the best solution.
"It's very easy for us to get a particular drug and get a response. Now I'm asking the physician or the nurse to use a drug they might not be used to, I can always say we used to use it in the old days, but that doesn't make it safe what makes it safe is that repetitive use and comfort and familiarity in the way we do things," said Lesher.
Carey says there are two reasons when prescription drug supplies shrink if demand is too high - companies can't keep up, or when the FDA makes them change the way they're producing it.
